WORLD · VERIFIED DEVELOPMENT
Kaduna Videographer Shares Experience of Rare Fingerprint‑Absence Condition
WHY IT MATTERS
Her story shows how rare medical conditions can alter everyday interactions and how public misunderstanding can lead to stigma.
What happened
Hauwa Suleiman, a 23‑year‑old videographer from Kaduna, Nigeria, has Adermatoglyphia, a rare genetic disorder that eliminates fingerprints. In a recent interview with Punch Nigeria, Suleiman explained how the condition has shaped her daily life and professional work.
She noted that people often mistake her for a ritualist because she lacks the distinctive ridges that most people rely on for identification. Suleiman described the practical challenges she faces, from security checks to routine paperwork that assumes the presence of fingerprints.
Despite these obstacles, she remains committed to her craft, using her camera to document stories that matter. Her openness brings attention to a little‑known condition and the misunderstandings that can arise when people encounter it.
PRIMARY SOURCES
People call me ritualist for not having fingerprints – Kaduna-based videographer
Punch Nigeria · Punch Newspapers · Discovery only; publisher copyright terms apply